History Lessons
by roseandjulie
Summary: YYHRK: KeikoKenshin, hints of KeikoKurama - Keiko is assigned to study the Meiji Restoration, and finds herself fascinated by the story of the Hitokiri Battousai. But the real Battousai is nothing like what the textbooks say. Xover, Lemony goodness in par
1. Part I

History Lessons 

by Julie (whirleeQ) & Rose (BuffyBot76)

Part 1 of 4

Disclaimer: We don't own YYH or Rurouni Kenshin. We are merely 'borrowing' the characters for our amusement, and hopefully, yours. Please don't sue.

* * *

Keiko Yukimura wandered down the stone path, lost in thought. The warm sun was shining brightly overhead, casting its golden rays down on the nicely kept greenery that surrounded the park she walked in. Her school books were held loosely in her arms as she enjoyed the evening breeze that ruffled her medium length auburn hair. With a sigh, the young woman deviated from the path, taking a seat at the base of a giant oak standing just a few feet from the trail. 

Once she'd settled herself comfortably, Keiko sifted through her pile of books, withdrawing her history text and opening it to a specific page in her lap.

History was not her most favorite subject, but the story that had been told today in class had really struck a chord with her, and she found herself eager to read more. Her large, cinnamon eyes scanned the text until she came across the name of the samurai whose story had held her attention and kept her from zoning out from the professor's dry tone.

Himura Kenshin.

Her fingers briefly brushed over the name as she began to read the text.

"Himura Kenshin was one of the greatest assassins of the Ishin Shisi. At only fifteen years old, his prowess with a sword was unparalleled. During the Meiji Restoration, he earned the name 'Hitokiri Battousai' which directly translates to 'The Sword Drawing Man Slayer.' The meaning is appropriate, since several hundred political activists and noblemen were rumored to have met their death on the Hitokiri's blade."

"The Battousai was said to have employed one of the fastest sword techniques ever known, 'The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu', or, 'Sword of the Flying Heavens'. This style of swordsmanship was developed during the Sengoku period, and has since been lost to time. It was said to have been the fiercest—"

Keiko turned the page. There was an artists rendering of what he may have looked like, and she had to stifle a gasp.

Were it not for the scar on his face, and the eyes, she could have been looking at Kurama. She took a deep breath, and continued reading.

"It is said that he could be mistaken for a girl at first glance, but his nature was the complete opposite of his appearance. During the Meiji Restoration, he was a cold, calculating man, and it was said that to see him meant death."

Keiko looked again at the picture. Could this man really have been such a killer? He was beautiful… but then again, so was Kurama, and Keiko well knew what he was capable of.

"There is some evidence that suggests the Hitokiri may have taken a wife at one point during the war, but she died before the Meiji Restoration was complete. There is little information of the Hitokiri Battousai after that, but there are several rumors regarding his possible fate."

"One of the more preposterous rumors suggests that the murderous Battousai became a wandering samurai. As the wanderer, the former Battousai supposedly traded his katana for a sakabatou (a reverse blade sword: see swords of the Meiji, page 456 for additional information), and fought only in defense of others. It is also thought that he became quite gentle in his mannerisms, and spent the rest of his life seeking redemption for his sins."

"Those rumors are considered by most historians to be rather fanciful and unlikely, considering the Battousai's character. One is far more inclined to believe that the Battousai met his death on the blade of an opponent."

Keiko scanned a bit more, looking for any further mention of Himura the Battousai, but couldn't find anything else. The book spent entirely too much page space, she thought after while, on describing the Restoration's strategies, and even more on the weaponry – but not enough on the cuties of the Meiji Restoration themselves.

She flipped the page.

"was a weapon of then foreseen circumstance, which assured the loss of the Bakufu—"

Keiko yawned, and closed the book.

Silently, she mused on what type of man he must have been. Would he have been remorseful for his actions? Proud? Indifferent?

Insane?

Keiko leaned her head back against the tree, and enjoyed the nice warm breeze that passed over her face. Her eyelids were starting to feel heavy, probably from a combination of the warm sun and the dreary textbook she had just read from. But she knew she needed to read more, even though there was nothing left of interest to her. After all, she had a report to do on the Meiji Restoration. She sighed, and picked up the book again and laid it across her lap.

As the words on the pages started to bleed together, Keiko felt her eyes slowly starting to close. She pinched herself a couple of times, but she still was not able to fight off the overwhelming fatigue that seemed to be spurned on by the monotony of the text she was reading.

_'I'll just close my eyes for a minute,' _she thought, once again closing the book and placing it by her side as she allowed her eyes to flutter closed.

"Just a minute," she said aloud with a yawn.

Five minutes later, she was fast asleep.

* * *

"Woman. Wake _UP!"_

The firm voice was accompanied by a painful nudge in her side as Keiko was roused from her peaceful slumber.

"Five more minutes, mom." She mumbled, shoving the nuisance away with her hand, not wanting to awaken just yet.

"Kurama?" She spoke, her eyes becoming focused again. The sight that she actually saw though had her sitting up with a startled gasp, blinking in utter bafflement.

"Wh-who are you?" Her words came out in a stammer as she stared at the stranger who stood over her, sheathed sword (the object in which he'd been poking her with, Keiko surmised) in hand.

The petite swordsman glared at her. His violet eyes were tinted with amber, and mostly hidden behind a long curtain of red hair that hung low on his forehead. The rest of his hair was pulled into a queue on the top of his head, the end of which gracefully fell over his shoulder and brushed the dark blue fabric of his gi. A closer look at his face revealed well defined cheek bones, a long, refined nose and a delicate, almost feminine mouth.

_'Wow,'_ was Keiko's fuzzy thought, until she saw the distinguishing cross shaped scar on his left cheek.

He started to remove his sword from his sheath.

"I am not in the habit of giving my name to people who are going to die soon, that I am not."

"W-w-wait!" Keiko stuttered, "I-I'm sorry. I mean, I don't even know where I am or—a quick cursory glance around had her eyes growing wider in shocked dismayhow I got here, to be honest. Please, I mean you no harm. Don't kill me. Please." Knowing she had no other option, Keiko was reduced to pleading for her life, her eyes clenched closed as she awaited the killing stroke she knew would come.

For his part, the Hitokiri Battousai didn't know what to think. He was in hiding, and had been staying in a ramshackle hut deep within the woods west of Kyoto. It was completely isolated and entirely cut off from society - and more importantly, the many enemies he had made during the war.

He wasn't in the habit of hiding, per say, but the war had just recently ended and now he was purposeless, penniless, and a known mass murderer. Ironically, there was no place for him now in the new, peaceful Japan that he had helped make a reality.

At twenty years old, he had no purpose and no goals, except to survive.

And Battousai had been doing just that – surviving. He had lived in these woods for the better part of four months now, living off the game that he hunted and the fish that he caught in the nearby lake, and staying away from civilization as a whole. Because for all of his sins, he no longer felt like he was a part of it.

Now, so deep in the woods that he doubted if even he'd be able to find this place once again if he left, a woman in strange and indecent clothes appeared from seemingly nowhere, asleep against a tree very near his hut.

Naturally, his first thought had been that she was sent to kill him. But what kind of assassin falls asleep against a tree, and doesn't even wake when prodded with a sword? So he threatened her to see her reaction.

She reacted like a terrified little girl.

Well, just great. Apparently she really was lost. He sighed, and pulled her to her feet, albeit a bit roughly.

"What is your name?" He asked, a trace of exasperation apparent in his voice.

His question reached her ears, and the rough handling prompted Keiko to open her eyes and look at him in surprise. "I… ah, Yukimura. Yukimura Keiko." She replied, not entirely sure it was wise to do so, but seeing she had no other choice if she wished to remain alive.

It was then that the sky overhead began to rumble, and they felt the first cold, misty drops of rain against their skin.

Battousai sighed again.

"Well, come on then, Keiko-dono," he said, grabbing the handful of kindling that he had been collecting when he found her.

"You need not fear death from me anymore, but if you stay out here, the storm is another matter entirely, that it is." He said, as he turned and walked towards his hut, not even bothering to check and see if she was following him.

Keiko's eyes strayed to the heavens above, totally perplexed at what she saw. The sky hadn't been so… dreary looking when she'd gone to sleep, had it? Surely not. It had been nice and clear with the warm sun shining down. So where had the storm clouds come from? Shaking her head, Keiko came to the only rational conclusion she could at this point. She had to be dreaming. That was the only way to explain falling asleep beneath a tree in a park with the sun shining overhead and then waking up to the prodding of someone she had never laid eyes on and the sun nowhere to be seen in the clouded sky.

To prove the theory to herself, Keiko brought her arm up and using her opposite hand, caught a small amount of skin between the thumb and forefinger and squeezed.

"Ouch!"

'_Okay, that hurt, so… not a dream. This is too weird.'_ She mused, looking over at the stranger who was even now moving toward a small hut a few yards away. _'Who is he? Why is he dressed so strangely? He looks like he stepped right out of my history book or something.' _

Another deep rumble of thunder rented the air just then, the tell tale drops of rain hitting her arms as the cold precipitation soaked into her skin, stirring her from her mental debate and into action as she hastened to catch up.

* * *

Battousai threw a couple logs into the hearth, as well as some kindling as soon as he entered the small hut. The hut was cold and drafty, and with the storm coming, things could get uncomfortable if he didn't have a strong fire going by the time the winds picked up. 

It took him a few minutes, but eventually he had a nice fire going, and he turned to look at the woman who had followed him inside. She was pretty, he thought, as his eyes trailed the expanse of skin her not very modest clothing did little to cover. She was well formed, and her skin looked to be as smooth as silk, and not covered in pock marks like so many women he had known. Her eyes were large and cinnamon colored, and set in an attractive face with a petite nose and full, rosy lips. Her hair was lighter than most – not quite the same color as his, but there were definitely hints of red amongst the auburns and browns, and it fell loosely too her shoulders.

The young woman was nervous, though. That, he could see all too well. For one, her posture was stiff and uncomfortable, and for two, she kept clenching and unclenching her hands.

He decided to take some pity on the girl. For if nothing else, she was definitely out of her element.

"Would you like some water or tea, Keiko-dono?"

Keiko was standing, feeling quite awkward in the middle of the room. She could feel his gaze as the red headed stranger looked her over and felt herself flush at the blatant appraisal behind the intense scrutiny. She was almost tempted to say 'See anything you like?' but held her tongue. This was, after all, not Yusuke or even anyone she was familiar with. Plus, he had a sword, which was added incentive to keep her mouth shut.

His question took her off guard, as it sounded sincere and was politely worded.

"Ah… Tea would be nice, Mr…?" She asked, hoping he would give her his name this go round and not threaten to take her head as he had earlier.

Battousai narrowed his amber tinted eyes at the girl for a moment. Suddenly, he was suspicious again. Could she have been playing the 'damsel in distress' act to lure him into trusting her, when she really intended to try to make a play for his life?

How could she not know who he is? He wasn't far enough away from Kyoto for his scar and physical characteristics not to be well known. Still… if she _really_ didn't know who he was, what name did he want to give her?

A quick examination of her ki showed that she was being honest with him and was not a threat. Did he want her to know he was the Battousai?

She offered him a small, tentative smile that made her whole face light up and he suddenly felt like his gi was a little too warm and restrictive.

"Himura. Himura Kenshin," he eventually said in somewhat of a strained voice, as he put a small pot of water over the fire to boil.

With his back to her, he totally missed her shocked look at his revealed identity. Kenshin… Himura? As in… the Hitokiri Battousai? An image of the illustrated photo in her text book flashed before her eyes, giving her the answer to her question. He looked almost exactly like the image had portrayed him. The thought of whether or not his ruthless actions were true as well made itself known, giving Keiko caution in what she chose to say next.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Himura. Thank you for allowing me to come into your home, out of the rain."

Kenshin snorted.

"My _home_… not exactly, Keiko-dono. This is just a place that I stay at, that it is," he said somewhat wistfully. A home was a warm place, with friends and people who love you. How could the bloody and deadly Hitokiri Battousai ever have… a _home_?

Keiko caught the sense of longing behind his words as well as the look in his eyes. It was similar to the one she had glimpsed a time or two in a certain fire demon's eyes. It was a wanting expression. A hunger for something more, but what it was, she had never been able to discern and knew it wasn't her place to ask. Still, it had made her attitude soften toward the surly fire demon. Thus, Keiko could feel the same thing happening in the presence of the man before her. He just seemed so… desolate, that she wanted to comfort him. Though she doubted he would be any more receptive to those actions then Hiei would have been.

She was brought from her musings when a cup of steaming tea was placed before her. Blinking, Keiko finally cleared her throat and accepted the drink with a softly murmured, "Thank you."

Kenshin kneeled across from her, enjoying the warmth of his own cup of tea, as the winds outside started to pick up and whistle. It was starting to get fairly cold outside, but with the fire and the warm tea, the inside of the hut was comfortable.

He looked again at Keiko, and wondered about her. There was something very different about her, something not quite right and he couldn't exactly put his finger on what it was. The clothes were a part of it, but it was also in her mannerisms. Who was she and where did she come from?

"Keiko-dono? Perhaps you could tell me how you came to be in the forest?" He asked, genuinely curious about her origins.

_'Oh great, Keiko, what should you tell him?'_ Keiko worried her bottom lip with her teeth as her mind sought desperately for a rational explanation. _'It's not like I can tell him the truth… or, at least what I assume is the truth. I can just see it now. Oh, it's quite simple, Mr. Himura, you see I fell asleep in a park in modern day Tokyo, but woke up outside your hut, over 100 years in the past... Right…He'd lop my head off for sure!'_

Knowing she had to tread lightly on this subject, Keiko finally did the only thing she felt she could do in this situation.

She lied.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as the girl shifted nervously from foot to foot as she began to tell some ludicrous tale about how she got into the woods. He could tell by the way that her voice lilted that she was lying. Badly.

She wouldn't even make eye contact with him. What's more, he could tell that she wasn't telling him the truth because she _feared_ him. And if she feared him, then she knew perfectly well who he was which meant that his earlier suspicions may have been correct.

His eyes hardened and turned amber, and the cheerful, friendly expression on his face was replaced with a cold, calculating one.

Lying to an assassin was a dangerous thing.

"Is that so, Keiko-dono?"

Keiko faltered, though truthfully she hadn't been doing a very good job in weaving her deceptive tale in the first place. She could practically see the friendly expression melt away, replaced by the same expression he'd worn when she first woke up and saw him standing over her. Her heart picked up its pace as her fear rose to new heights. He didn't believe her. _'Now what?'_ She wondered to herself. _'I can't tell the truth, and I'm not a good enough liar to get away with telling him a story... Oh, Yusuke, where are you when I need you?'_

"I, ah... well, the truth is... you wouldn't believe me if I told you how I really got here."

_'There. Maybe he'll just leave it at that.'_ She thought.

Wishful thinking.

"You must understand that I have to be careful about who I acquaint myself with, Keiko-dono. It would be best for both of us if you would tell me the truth," he responded in a level tone, the underlying threat apparent in his gaze.

"Ah..." Keiko groaned. _'Oh, boy… here goes.'_ "Well, you see, I had just left school for the day and went for a walk in the park. It was pleasant out, not a cloud in the sky, so I said to myself what a nice idea it would be to sit outside while I studied and well, I found a nice tree and sat down but then I fell asleep and the next thing I knew, you were waking me up and I wasn't where I'd fallen asleep and apparently over 100 years in the past to boot. So you see, I'm really no threat to you whatsoever, so you don't have to worry about whether or not you should kill me because I really think it's a good idea that I live. Eheh." Throughout her entire babble-fest, Keiko could feel her cheeks growing warmer and warmer. She imagined they were fire red by now and it didn't help that the red haired man was looking at her in an entirely different way now.

_'Does she WANT to die?'_ Was Kenshin's first thought. But, during her whole diatribe, her ki remained consistent, and there was no indication in her body language that she was lying to him.

That left three possibilities.

One. She was completely insane, and he was entertaining a madwoman.

Two. _He_ had finally gone completely insane – that wasn't out of the realm of possibility, after all – and had conjured her up from deep within the recesses of his mind because of some subconscious need for company. But if that were the case, wouldn't he have thought up someone whom he already knew? Tomoe, perhaps?

Or three: she was telling the truth, as highly improbable as that might be. It would certainly explain her strange attire – the likes of which he had never seen before.

At any rate, he was firmly convinced now that she was absolutely no threat to him. Did it really matter where she came from? She was a nice, attractive girl, and even though he hated to admit it to himself, it was comforting to have someone to talk to for a change.

Someone who didn't want him dead.

"So Keiko-dono… tell me about the future."

* * *

_**End Part I**_


	2. Part II

History Lessons 

by Julie (whirleeQ) and Rose (BuffyBot76)

Part 2 of 4

* * *

"...So anyway, poor Shuichi said he had to hide in the boy's bathroom for nearly two hours before they gave up the search. Needless to say he was late for history class, which, if you knew Shuichi, was a tragedy. He's never late." Keiko's light hearted laughter filled the hut as she retold the tale Kurama had related quite grumpily to her and the others. The image it had projected in Keiko's mind had been somewhat amusing to say the least. 

Kenshin smiled and laughed right along with her. They had been talking for hours now, and he was somewhat surprised at how easily the conversation came. She told him about her friends, and he told her stories about some of the more amusing drunken escapades of the Ishin ShisiThey talked about the future, the past, his favorite foods, her education. In fact, they talked about pretty much everything – except about his acts as an assassin.

She really was quite delightful company, now that they had gotten over their initial distrust of each other. In fact, he had not felt so… _warm_… in a very long while – if ever. It was nice to talk with someone who wasn't judging him or trying to earn his favor.

"So, tell me, Keiko-dono. Are you a member of this Shuichi's 'fan club'?" He teased, his violet eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Me? Ah, no." Keiko scoffed, "I draw the line at fawning over a guy who's prettier than I am."

"I doubt that there would be any man that would fit that description, that I do," Kenshin said offhandedly, and then immediately blushed when he realized what he had just said. "Er… so what does your friend Shuichi look like?" He quickly asked, hoping that she would not pick up on his embarrassment.

Keiko blinked in surprise. Had he just... complimented her? She shook off that thought. _'I must have been hearing things. Why would he say something like that? He barely knows me.'_ "Well, let's see... he's pretty tall, probably 5'11" or something like that. He's got these really bright green eyes and his hair is red, long too. And um... oh, well, he's nice looking, as I said earlier. He sort of looks like you... oh." Realizing what she'd just said, Keiko clammed up and diverted her eyes. _'Oh, no, I can't believe I just said that!'_

Kenshin blinked his eyes, fairly sure that there was a hidden complement somewhere in there, and offered her a warm smile.

"At 5'11, he's a lot taller than me though, that he is. Is he courting you?"

Amused laughter trickled from Keiko's lips. "Kur-ah, Shuichi? Courting me? Haha… no. I don't think I'm the kind of girl he would go for." She said honestly.

_'Then he is a fool,'_ he thought to himself, as she smiled at him.

Suddenly, there was a burst of wind that threw the door to the hut open, bringing in with it a rush of wet, cold air.

He stood and made his way over to the door, where he had to fight the wind in order to force it to close.

When he turned back towards Keiko, he noticed that she was shivering.

"Are you cold, Keiko-dono? I can put another log on the fire, that I can. Oh, and I have some sake. Would you like some, Keiko-dono?" Kenshin asked, as he went to retrieve a jug that was sitting on top of a small chest, as well as two sake cups.

"Thank you. That would be nice." Keiko replied through lightly chattering teeth. "And, um, you can stop calling me -dono, now. Keiko will be just fine."

"Okay… Keiko," Kenshin said warmly, as he handed her the small cup of sake.

Keiko took a tentative sip of the sake, not knowing what to expect. It was her first experience with alcohol after all, and a part of her felt a little giddy about drinking it. The warm liquid met her lips, and burned a path down her throat. A nice and surprisingly warm feeling began to spread throughout her body. Somewhat bemused, Keiko finished off the rest of the beverage; the additional warmth in her belly providing a measure of comfort against the cold air.

Even though the door was now closed again, the cold and wind from outside was pouring through the cracks between the boards of wood that made up the not very sturdy walls. Kenshin threw another log on the fire, and moved to sit next to Keiko, so that they could both share the jug of sake and the warmth of the fire. She had already finished her first cup, so he poured her some more before drinking from his own.

Keiko took another sip of sake before setting her glass aside. Daring a glance at the man sitting beside her, she realized how close he was, a lot closer than would seem appropriate, but at the moment she didn't really mind. She could feel the warmth his body was radiating, adding to the comfort her drink had already provided. Allowing her body to relax, Keiko gave a wistful sigh and ventured to continue their conversation.

"So, um... do you have any brothers or sisters?" She asked, the alcohol loosening her tongue a bit.

A flash of some emotion Keiko could not identify went through Kenshin's eyes, and then he turned his head from her to the fire.

He swallowed thickly and in that moment, with the light from the fire playing off of his profile, and the somewhat longing expression on his face, he simply looked like a boy and not a killer.

"My family… died of cholera when I was ten. I… buried them, and was soon found by slavers. They took care of me for a short time, but then they were murdered. I… buried them as well, that I did." He said in a quiet tone as he proceeded to down yet another sake. His eyes did not move from the flames while he spoke, and the hand that was holding his sake cup was trembling slightly.

Keiko gasped, one hand flying up to cover her parted lips as a chill of dread spread throughout her body. "Oh, no, I… I didn't know! So sorry… I didn't mean to bring up painful memories." She apologized as best she could, but still, it upset her that she'd unknowingly opened old wounds.

He turned and offered her a small, sad smile, his violet eyes literally brimming with unguarded emotion.

"That's quite alright, Keiko-do… Keiko. I have not thought about them in many years, that I have not. It has been a long time… a very long time since this unworthy one has had someone to talk to."

Keiko felt an immense wave of sympathy wash over her and her eyes grew misty at the forlorn tone his voice had taken on. Overcome with the urge to comfort, Keiko reached out a hand and tentatively placed it over one that was closest to her "Well, for what it's worth, I'm here if you would like to talk." The look he shot her was piercing and Keiko backpedaled a bit, "I-I-I mean, only if you want to! You don't have to. Really." She amended, not wanting to be pushy.

Kenshin glared at her for a moment and then sighed. It really wasn't her he was upset with. It was more that he had willingly told more about himself to this girl than to anyone since Hiko. Even Tomoe did not know the fate of his family.

Why was he talking now? Kenshin picked up a stick and started poking the embers in the hearth. The fire had died down a bit again, and so he threw on yet another log. The supply of wood was rapidly dwindling, but it still looked like it would be enough to get them through the storm and then…

And then what?

And then she'd probably be on her way and he'd be alone again.

"Gomen, Keiko, for my conduct – I did not mean to make you uncomfortable again. It is a habit that this unworthy one is really trying to change." He admitted quietly.

_'Unworthy one?'_ Keiko wasn't sure why he referred to himself in such a way. Her textbook hadn't said anything about how he spoke, after all. "You're welcome - and it's alright. Sometimes I'm too nosy for my own good." She confessed.

He was pleased to see her relax again, and at her request, he poured her more sake. The girl was keeping up with him, cup for cup, and for a moment he was concerned that she would drink herself into a stupor. She did not seem to be the type of girl who had much experience with sake.

"You should be careful with how much sake you drink Keiko. That you should."

She shot him a cold 'don't tell me what to do' look, and he couldn't help but smile at her spirit. She was becoming more and more interesting to him by the moment, and he decided to ask her a few questions about herself. It'd be better if they got off the subject of _him_ for the moment at any rate.

"So Keiko, do you have a husband or a fiancé in your… time?" He questioned, and then briefly choked on a mouthful of sake, when he realized what he had asked. He had intended to ask her about her family. He looked at her somewhat sheepishly.

"Gomen, Keiko-dono, I did not mean to be so… nosy… myself." He said apologetically.

Keiko tried not to frown as she gave a reassuring reply, "Ah, that's alright." She said, even though her heart was clenching in her chest. "And, to answer your question, no, I don't have anyone." But even as she spoke, images of Yusuke and Botan flashed through her mind. Both of them, together and happy. Closing her eyes to shut out the bad memories, she continued, "I guess you could pretty much say we're both alone, huh?"

He did not miss the small flash of pain in her eyes as she spoke, and he knew that much like him, there was once someone. Someone who was – for whatever reason – no longer there for her, and she was in pain about it.

He knew all about the pain of being alone.

Kenshin looked at her and sighed. Maybe it was the sake, maybe it was because she likened her loneliness to his own, or maybe it was just because of the way the glow from the fire played off of her hair. Whatever the reason was, his next words surprised even him.

"I wasn't always alone. I… had a wife, once. She… she died."

For some reason, Keiko felt tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. She was beginning to feel a strange connection with this man and she had no idea why, but, it was palpable all the same. That, or the sake was beginning to take effect. Either way, her next words slipped out before she could stop them, surprising herself as well as the former hitokiri.

"Yeah… I know."

Kenshin's eyes opened in shock, as he turned to look at the girl next to him. No one knew that. Well, a few former Ishin Shishi members knew, but definitely not the general populace. He was slightly suspicious once again, but when he looked at her, he could see the tears threatening to fall.

Tears for him and his loss.

No one shed tears for him. He was... unworthy of them.

He took her hand in his and squeezed it… but didn't let it go afterwards. They were both quiet for a moment, both watching the fire and lost in their own thoughts, until he turned to her abruptly.

"How did you know?" He asked in a small voice.

Keiko was taken back by his tone, so... meek. Throughout their conversation they hadn't really addressed her claim to be from the future, which she had been grateful for it, but now due to her loose tongue the topic had reemerged. She sighed, "I learned about it in school, in history class." She finally said, figuring there was no point in avoiding the issue anymore.

Kenshin was absolutely silent for a moment as he digested that information. He still did not know what to make of her claim about being from the future… certainly she knew many things, and was very well educated for a woman – that had been apparent from their conversation earlier. Still, if she really was from the future, and she really had learned about him in a 'history' class, then…

Then that meant that she had _learned_ about him. And she had known who and what he was all along.

Why hadn't she run screaming? He was after all a monster.

He suddenly removed his hand from hers, startling her and she looked at him questioningly. He shook his head minutely in response. It wasn't anything she had done - he had just remembered how bloodied his hands were, and knew how… unworthy he was of even taking the smallest of comforts from her.

And then, in a smaller voice he continued, just to confirm what he already knew.

"You… you learned about me? _All_ about me?"

Keiko was sad. She could see him withdrawing from her for some reason and it confused her. Hadn't they been getting along so well and were actually enjoying each others company? Then he asked the question that answered her own and she relaxed.

_'Ah, I see,'_ She thought to herself.

"Don't", she said, reaching out to retake his hand back in hers. "Please, don't turn away. It's true, I know all about your past... or rather, what's known about it as far as the history books go. But that doesn't mean that I hold it against you. Really, I know that you've changed your ways and to be honest, I admire you for that. It reminds me of someone I know. The first time we met was when he kidnapped me and at the time he had no qualms on killing me to get what it was he wanted. But then, later on, something happened and he changed his ways to the point where I trust him implicitly and am quite glad to be able to call him a friend."

_'Okay, so maybe friend is stretching it a bit, but he doesn't have to know that.'_ She mused. Giving Kenshin's hand a light squeeze, Keiko looked into his eyes, hoping that he understood and believed her.

Something inside of him broke, and he found himself looking at her in a new light. She knew what he was, accepted him, and she was offering him comfort.

Comfort.

He hadn't let anyone comfort him since Tomoe, and even then, the time they had together was painfully brief. It was only two days after they had become husband and wife in truth before she met her death at the end of his blade, after all.

It occurred to him that if Keiko was from the future, then his time with her would probably be even briefer. He tried to ignore the painful knot in his chest that thought caused. At any rate, she was with him now, and God knows that he did not deserve it, but a part of him couldn't help but to think she had been sent specifically for him – someone to whom he could confess his sins.

A tenshi who would listen to him and not judge.

With suspiciously wet eyes, he leaned his head up against her shoulder… and told her _everything_.

Afterwards, Keiko was strangely quiet, but did not let go of his hand as they continued to watch the fire; the jug of sake all but forgotten.

Meanwhile, Kenshin was shaking from the mixture of shame, grief, and remorse that came with his confession. He turned his head to look at her, afraid that her eyes would show horror, or worse, fear, and awaited her response.

The glow from the fire place cast a golden radiance upon her face, giving it an ethereal appearance. Her brown eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, had remained fixed on the dancing flames. But as he looked up, her head turned so that their gazes locked and it was as if a window to her soul had been opened. Kenshin had to stifle a gasp at what he saw. There was no horror in her eyes no disgust or fear. Only... compassion.

Kenshin felt himself leaning forward as if on instinct. As his face loomed closer to hers, her beautiful brown eyes slowly fluttered closed, and her breathing quickened. Still, he kept his movements slow, allowing her ample time to pull away from him if she desired.

When their faces were but a hairs breadth apart from each other, he felt her warm breath ghost across his cheek as she slowly exhaled in preparation for his kiss. His own eyes fluttered closed as his nose touched the soft skin of her cheek in a gentle caress. His breaths were coming hot and fast as he gently brushed his lips against her full and slightly parted ones. Her lips were warm and pliant, and he made an inarticulate sound in his throat when he felt her shaking fingers comb through his hair before gently cupping the back of his head.

His heart was pounding as he increased the pressure of his lips against hers. She hadn't pushed him away – amazingly she was responding to him, and in turn he was beginning to desire her with a fervor that was almost frightening in its intensity.

Kenshin had kissed before. And he had been kissed in return. But none of those kisses had felt as… _complete_… as the kiss he was sharing with the girl from the future. As if they were not only blending their lips together in a caress, but their souls.

He groaned when he felt her tongue dart out and sweep across his bottom lip. When he reached for her, his own hands were shaking, and he pulled her into his lap almost desperately. As he continued to worship her mouth with his own, he felt something he hadn't felt for many, many years.

Content.

* * *

_**End Part II**_


	3. Part III

History Lessons 

by Julie (whirleeQ) and Rose (BuffyBot76)

Part 3 of 4

* * *

Keiko moaned as she felt herself melt into the strong arms that held her so close. Her own arms rose to encircle Kenshin's neck, her fingers seeking to entangle themselves in the silky strands of hair. This was insane, she knew this well. She had only just met this man a few scant hours ago, but somewhere between their taxing introduction and this mind numbing kiss, Keiko had found herself drawn to this man. If she was honest with herself, she had been drawn to him even before this madness had begun - when she had first set eyes upon that sketch of him in her history book. And now, as she sighed against his mouth, Keiko couldn't imagine being anywhere else. 

Kenshin made an inarticulate sound in his throat when she all but melted against him. The fire was rapidly dwindling, and the cold from the outside was really starting to seep in to the hut, but Kenshin hardly noticed. So wrapped up was he in the warmth of this beautiful, vibrant girl who was like a gift from the gods to him – a gift that he did not deserve. One shaking hand made its way around to the back of her head and pulled her closer, while the other one wrapped around her back. The soft feel of her lips against his was almost too much sensation for him, and he shivered. His attraction - his _need_ for her was so consuming that his rational mind was quickly shutting down. It had been too long, and Tomoe had never been as soft, never been as beautiful as Keiko was to him at that moment.

Her lips parted, and he darted his tongue inside of her mouth. She tasted like a mixture of berries and sake, and he was burning as her tongue tentatively did battle with his own.

"Kami," he murmered against her lips.

She barely heard the soft exclamation, so wrapped up was she in the secure feeling of his embrace. She'd never felt so content and protected as she did at that moment. Not even with Yusuke… oddly, that thought didn't hurt at all. Didn't feel like a betrayal. Her lips turned upward in a tender smiled as his proceeded to wander down the expanse of her slender throat.

Kenshin swallowed thickly when his lips met the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He was trembling, and a part of him wondered on how this escalated so far, so fast. His hand moved from the back of her head around to the front, and with one shaking finger, he traced the line of her jaw down to her clavicle.

"So beautiful," he whispered as he worked his lips back up her neck again to take a delicate earlobe in between his lips, where he then gently nibbled on it. At her gasp, he got a little bolder and used his tongue to gently probe the inner shell of her ear. She was breathing as fast as he was, and he moved the hand that was around her back to the front, where he laid it just above her left breast. He could feel her heart pounding wildly through the fabric of her clothes, and knew that his was pumping just as fast, if not faster.

He was vaguely aware of their surroundings, and the part of his mind that was not yet running entirely on instinct pointed out to him that the hard floor in front of the hearth was not the best place for them to be. With a feral sound almost like a growl, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, and lifted her off the floor. He caught her lips again in a bruising kiss, and moved them over to the futon, where he gently laid her underneath him. Their lips remained in contact with each other the entire time.

A breathy sigh escaped Keiko's plundered mouth. The audible sound was caught up in Kenshin's as he continued to fuse their lips together with a great deal of hunger. He felt as if he was starving and in a way he was. Starving for a love that he had always deemed himself unworthy of and yet, here lay this wonderful creature beneath him, giving herself to him completely.

Her responses to his impassioned kisses were so honest, so freely given, and each little sound she made further ignited the flame burning inside of him. The side of his face was pressed against hers, and he reveled in the smoothness of her pale skin as he caressed her cheek with his own, before burying his face into the crook between her neck and her shoulder. He wanted to utterly consume her, become a part of her, and bury himself so deeply within her that they would cease to be two separate people. Her innocence, beauty and acceptance of him awakened a part of his soul that he had long thought dead, and he had never needed anyone the way that he needed her right now.

"Keiko… Kami… I want you… onegai, let me love you," he groaned throatily against her neck, as he thrust his lean hips forward against her heat so that she could feel the intensity of his desire through the fabric of their clothes. His amber eyes were filled with an intensity and need that was almost frightening as he locked gazes with her once more. He did not know what he would do if she denied him.

Keiko's eyes were clouded by the intense feelings that were exuding over her, making it impossible to think straight. But one thing she did know was that she would not… no, could not, back down now. They were both beyond the point of no return and she knew for a fact that there would be no stopping. No turning back.

_'This…'_ She thought, as crazy as the idea sounded in her mind, _'This was meant to be.'_

"Hai."

* * *

A/N

I apologize, but becauseof ffnet rules and regulations, I have to give you a link for the remainder of this chapter. I really don't want to lose my account!

You can find the rest of part 3 of History Lessons at:

adultfan **_DOT _**nexcess **_DOT _**net **_SLASH _**aff **_SLASH _**story.php? no **_EQUALSIGN_** 544180164 & chapter **_EQUALSIGN_** 3

Cut and paste the URL, change the bold & italicized words to the characters they represent and remove ALL of the spaces. If you still have trouble, you can go to the adultfanfiction net home page, and look up history lessons in the anime/YYH section, or under username 'roseandjulie'. Hopefully you shouldn't have any problems. Just make sure you either a) come back here and leave us a review or b) leave us one on AFF! LOL!


	4. Part IV

History Lessons 

by Julie (whirleeQ) and Rose (BuffyBot76)

Part 4 of 4

* * *

Shuichi Minamino, known to his friends as Kurama, used to have nightmares he could not explain. For a while, he thought the nightmares came from the memories of the spirit kitsune that he shared his body with. Except that in his nightmares, he was not a thief, but an assassin. 

The nightmares had plagued most of his childhood. Often, Youko had had to comfort him upon waking. There were many nights when the spirit kitsune had had to soothe his fears by assuring him that his hands were _not_ drenched in the blood and gore of others, and that _no one_ was trying to kill him. After a while, Youko helped him repress the nightmares entirely, and Kurama had not had one in many, many years.

But this afternoon, while Kurama was taking a small after-school nap, the spirit kitsune had been lax in his guard – and considering the content of his dream, it was no wonder. Never before had his dreams been of _THAT_ nature. His body was still highly aroused from the images. Bodies, straining together on an old futon, while the storm outside pounded against the walls of the little hut. Cinnamon brown eyes locked on his, and ruby lips parted in an expression of passion.

What was most alarming was that he had recognized those eyes and those lips, and could put a name to their owner.

_'Keiko.'_

Panting, Shuichi's accusing thoughts turned inward. _'Youko! What the hell was that?'_

The spirit kitsune was snickering inside of his head. **_Don't blame me, red… that was all you. I have to say that your past self was a very interesting ningen though. It was one of the reasons I chose you, after all._**

Kurama blinked. _'That has nothing to do with the fact that I just dreamt of Keiko and my past self, together, in... that way.'_

Youko responded by putting forth a particularly vivid image of a naked Keiko with her head thrown back and her face flushed. **_Well, it was a rather good dream this time at least. That is why I didn't shield you from it. As to why Keiko was in it – well, you are enamored of her. _**

At Kurama's blush and mental negation, the spirit kitsune chuckled. **'_Don't try to deny it to me, Red. I share your head, after all. Personally, I think you should go to her, tell her how you feel. You're not the only one in here that finds her… interesting… especially after THAT dream.'_**

_'Ha, after a dream like THAT you would find any female interesting.'_ Shuichi replied sardonically, _'But your suggestion has merit. I should really confess to Keiko how I feel. It has been kept secret long enough, after all.'_ he thought.

He reached for the phone beside his bed and dialed the Yukimura residence's phone number before he lost his nerve. However, he was disappointed when Keiko's mother told him that she had not yet made it home from school yet.

How odd…

He rose from the bed and approached his closet with the intent of getting dressed in order to go out in search of Keiko.

* * *

"Keiko, wake up." 

Something or someone was incessantly prodding her, and Keiko batted the offending hand out of the way. The prodding wouldn't stop, so Keiko opened two blurry cinnamon eyes to see a curtain of red hair looming closer.

"Kenshin?" She asked with a yawn, before reality kicked in and her vision cleared.

"Kur-kurama? Oh _god_…"

"Nani?" Kurama blinked in confusion. _'Did she just call me... what I think she did?'_

Keiko blinked several times and took in her surroundings. It was night time now, and she was… she was against the tree that she had been studying under before she had fallen asleep. Had it all been a dream? She suddenly felt a painful ache in her chest.

She groaned and reached for Kurama who was holding his hand out to help her up. What was he doing here?

"Sorry… I must have dozed off. What are you doing here?" She asked, as she bent over to grab her textbook. Still a bit groggy, her hands didn't quite close around the book correctly and it slipped from her grasp – only to fall to the ground, opened on the page that had the rendering of Kenshin.

She swallowed the thick lump that suddenly appeared in her throat, as her eyes started to tear.

Kurama was taken by surprise when his sensitive nose picked up on the scent of tears. Glancing at Keiko, he noticed she was glancing down at something and in turn his eyes followed suite. He saw the open textbook lying on the ground and swooped down to pick it up for her. He immediately noticed the familiar image depicted in the book and his eyes once more returned to Keiko, studying her curiously. "So, your class is studying about the Meiji Restoration, ne, Keiko-chan?"

"Uh... yeah…" Keiko answered, as she started walking in the general direction of home, Kurama keeping pace by her side. God, she really didn't want to do this right now. If it had been a dream, it had been so very vivid – so very real. She couldn't help but feel slightly aroused at just the memory of his touch – dream or not.

Kurama cleared his throat next to her, and she looked up to see him staring at her intensely. His eyes were filled with an expression of extreme curiosity… and something else she couldn't put a name to.

"Sorry. I'm still a bit groggy, I think. History is not normally my thing, but there had been a story about a particular man that caught my interest and I had been reading about him when I fell asleep under the tree. When the textbook got into the different attributes and merits of the weaponry used during the Meiji restoration, I guess I kinda nodded off," she answered with a forced smile.

Kurama's brilliant green eyes widened only slightly, and he kept his voice as level as possible as he phrased his next question.

"Oh? And who was it that you were studying, Keiko-san?"

"His name was Himura Kenshin. He was an assassin during the Meiji Era who put down his sword and supposedly took to wandering in search of redemption for all the murders he had committed." Keiko averted her gaze as she spoke and thus missed Kurama's reaction to her words.

Kurama actually choked, and had to struggle to keep himself from stumbling. _'Youko? Please tell me that Himura was not the surname of my prior incarnation,'_ he moaned internally. **_Okay, Red. I won't tell you. Why does it matter, anyway? You're here with her now. We're here with her now. Tell her how you… how we feel! _**

Kurama suddenly stopped walking, and hesitantly reached to grab Keiko's hand.

As expected, Keiko gasped at the gesture, her wide, brown eyes flying back to stare at Kurama questioningly. His touch… it had such a familiar feel to it as his long, elegant fingers began to caress the back of her hand. Keiko shivered. "Wh-what…" She began, but her voice sounded so very weak to her ears, as if the simple act of touching her had rendered her speechless. She cleared her throat and tried again. "What are you doing?"

"Keiko… I…" Kurama cleared his throat so that he could continue. Normally he didn't have any problem at all with words. In fact, he could wield them almost as effectively as he could his rose whip. But now…

Youko decided for him that talking was overrated. Kurama fought the kitsune, as he pushed through to the forefront, but Youko was not to be denied. As he took control of the body, Kurama's eyes changed from brilliant green in color to almost gold.

The kitsune was only in control for a moment, but by the time Kurama was able to regain control, the damage had been done. He had not been able to wrest control back from Youko before he pulled Keiko into his arms and capture her lips in a kiss that was almost predatory. When the kitsune finally receded into the back of Kurama's mind with a snicker, he left his human counterpart with an armful of a confused Keiko. Kurama pulled back, flushed and embarrassed.

"Keiko.. gomen… it's just that I… have wanted to do that for a… for a lifetime," he finally managed to choke out.

Keiko stood gaping, not knowing what to do. Kurama had just kissed her and... it had been so... His words suddenly caught her attention. "A... a lifetime?"

Kurama swallowed the lump that appeared in his throat as a flash of a dream— or maybe even a memory, albeit not one of his own— entered his head and supplied him with his next words.

"Hai, Keiko-dono. That I have," he said, the words coming out husky and strangled, as with one shaking hand he pulled her back to him.

* * *

_**Owari**_


End file.
